Seed Co Group | since 1940
Africa's seed, bred for Africa's seasons
Certified hybrid maize, wheat, soya, sorghum and legume seed developed across 40+ research and trial sites and supplied to farmers in more than 35 African countries.
- Years of plant breeding
- African countries served
- Crop portfolios
- Research and trial sites
El Niño Season Outlook 2026/27
Forecasters expect below-normal rainfall across southern Africa. Explore certified drought-tolerant hybrids and adjusted planting windows.
Our crops
Eight portfolios, bred for African soils
Certified seed developed and tested across our research stations, then matched to local rainfall, altitude and market grain preferences.
Maize
Ultra-early to late-maturing hybrids for every rainfall band.
38 varietiesWheat
Irrigated and dryland lines with strong milling quality.
9 varietiesSoya Bean
High-protein, rust-tolerant lines for rotation systems.
11 varietiesSugar Bean
Market-preferred grain types with fast cooking.
7 varietiesGroundnuts
Confectionery and oil types with good shelling.
6 varietiesSorghum
Hardy performers where rainfall is short and erratic.
5 varietiesCowpeas
Dual-purpose grain and fodder for dry regions.
4 varietiesRice
Upland and lowland varieties for West and East Africa.
5 varieties
New tool
Seed Variety Finder
Tell us where you farm, your rainfall pattern and your planting window. We will shortlist the certified varieties that fit.
- Certified
SC Duma 43
Maize
- Maturity
- 115–125 days
- Yield potential
- 8–10 t/ha
- Drought tolerance
- 5/5
Why this variety: Ultra-early hybrid that escapes late-season dry spells | the safest choice for a short or uncertain window.
- Certified
SC Serena 513
Maize
- Maturity
- 130–140 days
- Yield potential
- 10–12 t/ha
- Drought tolerance
- 4/5
Why this variety: Medium-maturing workhorse with strong stalk strength and good grey leaf spot tolerance.
Sustainability & ESG
Climate-smart breeding, farmer livelihoods, sound governance
Our sustainability agenda starts in the breeding nursery: genetics that yield under stress, delivered with agronomy support that raises household income.
Environmental stewardship
Drought and disease tolerance bred as core traits, not add-ons.
Social impact
Smallholder training, community seed banks and school programmes.
Governance
Dual-listed transparency across SCIL and SCL boards.
Our footprint
Present across the continent
Operations, distribution partners and research sites spanning Southern, East, West and Central Africa.
Innovations
A breeding programme built on African trial data
Marker-assisted selection, multi-location trialling and farmer-participatory evaluation shorten the path from nursery to certified bag.
40+
Research stations and trial sites
3
Seasons of testing before release
8
Crop breeding programmes
2
Seasons saved by marker selection
Newsroom
Latest from Seed Co
- Investors
Seed Co International reports higher volumes across East Africa
Half-year seed volumes rose 12% on stronger Kenyan and Zambian demand, with early-maturing maize leading the mix.
- Products
Three new drought-tolerant maize hybrids released for the 2026/27 season
SC Duma 43, SC Serena 513 and SC Njiwa 621 completed three seasons of multi-location trials before release.
- Advisory
El Niño outlook: what farmers should plan for this season
Regional forecasters point to below-normal rainfall in parts of southern Africa. Here is a practical planning guide.
Farmer voices
Trusted in the field
I switched to an early-maturing hybrid after the Variety Finder matched it to my rainfall. I harvested before the dry spell hit.
Tendai M.Maize grower, Mashonaland East, Zimbabwe The agronomy team walked our field twice in one season. That kind of support is why we keep buying certified seed.
Grace A.Farm manager, Nakuru, Kenya Soya rotation with a Seed Co line lifted our maize yields the following year without extra fertiliser.
Joseph B.Commercial farmer, Mkushi, Zambia
Stay ahead of the season
Seasonal advisories, straight to your inbox
Planting-window guidance, new variety releases and drought early-warning alerts for your region.